


Blood and Stone

by SunSpice



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, OC, Other, SI
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2015-04-24
Packaged: 2018-02-28 00:11:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2711843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunSpice/pseuds/SunSpice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Breach. It was like the Maker took the world, and shook it up before pulling the top off. It fizzed and poured over the sides in a great big green mess. But Thedus was not alone, and the Breach affects more then they know. Dreamers become dreams, and some dreams turn into nightmares.  Was she dreaming? Or was it real.  She might never get the chance to find out. Sort of Inquisitor!Lavellan madness, I have no idea where this is going.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Okay, so in lieu of being able to play the actual game, as I own it but CANNOT play it due to Bioware having a stupid, I’ve chosen to write about my Inquisitor of choice/creation. Dialogue will be close as I see fit in other areas, but I’m not here to retell the story. I’m here to spice it up a little. Dalish OC/ some might call this an SI but it really isnt. Besides sharing a few of my opinions, I don’t think I and my Inquisitor have much in common. IF she was real I bet she’d just up and shank me, or light me on fire. She might do both, who knows.
> 
> Disclaimer: I only own four things in the entirety of this fic, Warden, Hawke, my Inquisitor and of course my ideas.

Blood and Stone

Prologue

My day as it were, was not off to a winning start I will admit. I suppose it may have something to do with the throbbing ache inside my skull, pulsing in time to the flickering candlelight that illuminated the room I was in. Or perhaps it may have more to do with the strange mark on my hand, which seemed to spasm in time with said headache. A green glittering sinister thing which gradually ate away at the notion that this headache had less to do with some form of alcohol and more to do with the mark itself.

The green mark with pulsed in time with the swaying candle light. I curled my hand into a fist and tried my best to ignore the stares of my companions. I use the term ‘companions’ loosely, to be honest as I knew none of the four men that stood surrounding me. Each pointing a sharp bit of metal in my direction, and watching me nervously. Most would call them swords, but my reference made them seem less… Drastic. I mean come on, I’m in jeans and a t-shirt- I’m also freezing. They are wearing armor straight from some big name RPG. I hardly count as a threat here.

I just woke up with the worlds worst hangover, I am hardly of a mind to sack the kingdom and steal the crown jewels. In fact, I have it on good authority that they should be grateful their boots are still shiny clean. I was a rare drinker- mostly because I had such an adverse reaction to alcohol in general. I need juice man, only decent way to rehydrate after a binger. Water only brought the alcohol back around. I shook closing my eyes and rubbing my head with one of my shackled hands as memories of the previous night lingered in the back of my mind.

There weren’t many, giant spiders, glowing people and green and black nothingness. More likely a dream then an actual memory, but the images made a lasting impression. This apparently made my guards nervous, as one of the men has again raised his sword from the slight guard position to a more alert ‘Gon stab you!’ position. My hand gave a particularly painful throb at this, letting off green glowing sparks and I hissed. The crap was that even?

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the space beyond the great wooden door in front of me, but the odd acoustics of the room distorted their origin and direction making it hard to tell if they were coming or going. Although I wasn’t left to wonder for long, as the door swung open with a groan revealing a woman much taller than myself- which was admittedly not hard to do as I was only 5’0 on a good day. She however was somewhat akin to a greek goddess, short dark haired surrounding a tanned face and dark serious eyes. Her expression was not encouraging me to think happy thoughts. Not that this weird fantasy dungeon shtick was helping me any. 

Another woman came in behind her, fair skinned with red hair she played stark contrast to her counterpart. Good cop, bad cop? She wore something that resembled chainmail- actually it looked like genuine chainmail now that I thought about it, over a short dress and pants. Bad cop wore a studded leather shirt? And by studded I mean there were four sided square studs sticking out of it at even intervals all over. A stylized white eye dominated the front of it, as symbol that I was no doubt missing the significance of. 

The bad cop walked around behind me as if sizing me up, before leaning down to talk in my ear.

“Tell me why we shouldn’t kill you now.” She paced around in front of me again and all I could think was that this had escalated quickly. “The Conclave is destroyed, everyone who attended is dead. Except for you.” 

She said conclave as if it had some serious significance, but I had rightly no idea what she was talking about. That certainly isn't the name of some house party, thats for damn sure. 

“What do you mean?” I asked quietly, voice cracking mid sentence. The words were quiet, almost inaudible but they seemed to snap the woman into action. She grasped the wrist of my affected hand waving it as if it were a flag of proof.

“Explain this.” She hissed, and I shrugged as she let my hands drop.

“I cant.”

“What do you mean you can’t?” She said and began circling me, even as the silent good cop joined her in the circling. I stopped trying to follow their movements, as my head began to spin and I cover my eyes with my hand once more. “I don’t even know what it is, let alone how it got their.”

“You’re LYING,” She said grabbing both shoulders in her hands and lifting me up, my knees were grateful as the long bought of kneeling had numbed them. But the rest of me struggled to pull away from this sudden invasion of space. The other woman stepped in then, grabbing bad cop and pulling her away. I dropped back down to the stone floor sideways.

“We need her, Cassandra.” Was all she said quietly, and I let out a shaky breath.

“I’m so confused.” I said from my spot on the floor, even as the redhead came to stand over me. She gripped a shoulder and pulled me upright again, and I was uncertain as to whether or not I was grateful about this. 

“Do you remember what happened?” She prodded gently. “How this began?”

“I… No.” I said with a shake of my head. “I remember running, things chasing me. And then… I remember darkness. A void? There was a woman?”

I puzzled through my own memories uncertain, they were only memories from a dream so sharing them felt stupid. But it felt important to remember something. There was something I needed to…My mark pulsed again, and I shook my head with a sigh.

“A woman, you said?” Good cop questioned.

“She reached out to me?” 

A moment of silence ensued and the women shared a look that I couldn't interpret. 

“Go to the forward camp Lilianna.” The bad- I mean Cassandra said quietly a look of decision on her face. “I will bring her to the rift.”

“What in the world is going on?” I said and the woman walked back towards me, crouching to unlock the shackles around my wrists. These in turn were replaced by a thick leather tie and I frowned. Not acquitted yet it would seem. She pulled me to my feet, steadying me as I wobbled and my dark brown hair chose the moment to slip over my shoulder and get in my face. It must have come free sometime during the night but I hadn’t noticed.

“It will be easier to show you.” She said quietly, and I tucked the long strands behind my ear as well as I could with tied wrists. My hair tie was either broken or lost for the moment, so there was little I could do. My hand paused as I felt something strange, and my ear twitched with annoyance. For some reason it was over sensitive to the presence of my hands and I cupped one ear over it. Something wasn’t right. I wasn’t given the chance to investigate further however, as my walked forward gesturing for me to follow.

We walked down a hallway and up a ramp into a large stone building, bathed in swaths of darkness and torchlight I began to feel as though something was terribly wrong. Okay, I was fooling myself. There had been something terribly wrong the entire time I’d been sitting on that hard stone floor. But I’d been ignoring it in favor of something more practical. Like how you know someone had been talking about you, because the moment you walk up the conversation ceases. Only, this isnt a conversation, and I dont have any idea about what is going on.

I suppose it could be some weird and elaborate prank, my family were well known for carrying jokes too far- well my adoptive family was at least. But no, this place was too much… What was the phrase the Mad Hatter used? Muchness? There was too much too this for it to be a prank. Cassandra it seemed, also carried a shield and sword both made of a darkened metal. She was leading me up to another pair of doors, and I glimpsed in the darkness not far from me something that seemed to be stone bench? Before she pushed the doors open, and I had to shield my eyes from the sudden onslaught of light.

I blinked in the bright light of day, moving out into the cold wind as the doors closed with a slam behind me. At first, my mind was more preoccupied with the temperature and the small amount of snow falling then the one thing I should have noticed the moment I stepped out into the clear light of day. I looked up, and like that the bitter wind fled from my mind as I tried to comprehend what I was seeing.

“We call it ‘the breach’.” She said looking back at me before continuing. “It’s a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour.”

A great green black swirling mass writhed mid air, like a massive tornado it seemed to carry in it all manner of large and small objects, from this distance I could only make out the largest debris for what it actually was- boulders and maybe some type of wood planks? I saw at one point even what looked like a piece of a castle, before it was swallowed by the billowing cloud of sickly green light.

I felt my stomach clench and then I had to scurry away to empty my stomach in a nearby bush. It shouldn’t have been disturbing at all- I mean black and green smoke in some weird tornado? But there was something to it, like watching snakes crawl over one another the black and green masses tangled and entwined in an unnatural way. 

My diaphragm kicked and then I rushed to an otherwise innocent bush. It took me a few moments to stop dry heaving after the initial sickness, but nothing would wipe the image of it from my mind. Cassandra for once said nothing, and only waited patiently as I wiped my face on my sleeve. 

“It is not the only such rift, I should warn you.” She said as I rejoined her. “Only the largest. We think, that it began at the conclave. The explosion caused the rift, and like a chain reaction small rifts opened.”

“How could an explosion do that?” I said quietly. I’d seen plenty of movies, I’d played with bottle rockets and all manner of fireworks as a kid. Plenty of explosions, but nothing like this. I was still at a loss as to where or when I even was. I needed to sit down. I needed to sit down with a nice cup of coffee, and just think about things for a moment.

“I do not know how, but this one did.” She shook her head as she looked at me, and for a long moment I wondered what she was seeing. The t-shirt I wore, thick but still far too light for snow bore an emblem I’d designed myself for class in red stitching, the fabric itself was a tired black, fading into grey. My jeans were scuffed, and worn but serviceable. Hell, I was lucky I was even wearing socks. Although my shoes had taken a hike somewhere, as my feet suddenly reminded me. Cold snow soaking into the bright pink material. “Unless we act, the breach may grow until it swallows the world.”

The breach seemed to pulse, and lightning flickered from the heart of it. My hand flared with it, and it felt for a brief moment as though my bones were attempting to escape through my skin. 

“I have to tell you.” Cassandra said with a grimace. “Each time the breach expands, your mark spreads. The healers tell me, that if we do not do something about it. It will kill you.”

Translation: I was not getting a choice in this.

____________________________________________________________

Cassandra gathered a small set of armor for me at least before we left, and a pair a boots that would suffices even if my feet slipped around in them like I was a child who tried to wear my dads boots. But they kept my feet warm, so I wasn’t going to complain… To much. The armor I was given was green, thick leather overlaid in some areas by black plates of metal- thin plates, more like shoulder pads then anything, but the would suffice. It was also too large, but it was lined with fur that kept out the cold.

A pair of thick green buckskin pants joined it, and for a brief moment as I changed in the tent- my hands had been untied briefly so I might have the courtesy of dressing myself. I reflected on the last comment Cassandra made before taking me to find gear. 

“You wish to prove your innocence? This is the only way.”

I eyed the back of the tent for a moment, thinking very hard on why exactly I should stick around and fix a mess I wasn’t even a part of. It was a near thing. Even with the thought of death hanging over my head, I didn’t like the trapped feeling it was giving me. 

Trapped.

I couldn't get out of this, I was trapped. 

I was twenty five and I still slept in a pile of stuffed animals. I was twenty five and I still had to turn the light on in the bathroom at night because I didn’t like the darkness in the hallway. I was twenty five and I still didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. And like that I couldn't even think about anything but running, somehow going home, or waking up in my bed. Trapped. That word echoed in my head like a chime, every thought had it tacked onto the end, repeating over and over in a sickly sweet seductive voice that made me want to curl up into a ball.

“Are you done?” Said Cassandra’s voice said impatiently from the other side, and I snapped out of my momentary dread and back to the… The world as it was. Smoothing down the oversized buckshin tunic, I moved towards the tent flap.

“Yes, sorry for making you wait.” I said finally, slipping out into the daylight once more.

“Good, we leave immediately.” She said grabbing a hand and winding the leather tie around it again.

“Is this really necessary?” I questioned, I’d played nice with them. Could I at least walk out of here without being hog tied?

“Yes. The people here,” she said quietly as she led more towards down a set of stone steps towards a large medieval stone and wood gate. “Have decided your fate. Your guilt, as it were. They need it. The people of Haven mourn our most holy, Divine Justinia, Head of the Chantry. The conclave you see, it was hers.”

A crowd gathered around us as we moved, and many of the members were speaking in low voice some started jeering as we made it towards the gate. The heavy wood opened before we reached it, and thankfully closed behind us cutting us off from the crowd. I let out a small sigh of relief at this, looking over my shoulder at it one more time before turning back to Cassandra for good. 

“They are angry, and rightly so.” She said with a shake of her head. “It was our chance for peace, a chance for the Mages and the templars to come together and speak.”

Wait what?

“Mages?”

_____________________________________________________________

“If I can help, I will.”

 

Edit for Typos 4/20/15


	2. Of Wind and Snow

Chapter One: Of Wind and Snow

 

“Mages?” I spoke quietly, this was a joke right?

“Yes, she brought their leaders together. Now they are dead.” Her voice cracked at this, and I could tell that this was affecting her more then she let on even as we moved through the snow. I couldn't see her face, but her shoulders were stiff and squared. She was angry, and from the tone in her voice hurt. “We lash out like the sky. But we must think beyond ourselves. As she did.”

We moved out onto a bridge, and couldn't begin to count the number of soldiers here. Many of which sported bandages and wounds. Some were laid out on the side of the bridge unmoving, others shrieked from green tinted claw marks and burns. Some had wounds I couldn't even begin to identify, and I tried only to focus on Cassandra’s back as we moved passed them, women in strange red and white uniforms tending to the soldiers watching us pass.

“Until the breach is sealed at least.” She moved to cut the tie from my hands, muttering to me quietly. “There will be a trial, I can promise no more. Come, it is not far.”

For someone no adept at reading between the lines, this promise meant very little. And realistically, as far as Cassandra was concerned I would be brought to justice properly. But, and there was a but, there was always the chance that I might not make it that far. If this Divine Justinia was this places Pope- the cool new Pope who actually gave two shits about something, and I was accused of killing her… Her and so many others, that is. Then there was a very good chance that others might do me in before that happened, and that was something I was selectively not thinking about. 

I am not thinking about it. I am not. I had to distract myself, this train of thought would get me nowhere.

“Where-” My voice broke and I cleared my throat as we walked. “Where are you taking me?”

“According to what we’ve concluded, your mark may close the breach.” Cassandra commented calm and collected once more. She too was having trouble controlling her emotions, but hers were less fear and more sorrow it seemed. “But your mark must be tested on something smaller first.”

“This should be fun.” Was my only comment back on this, and we shared a look albeit not a peaceful one. More like the one you would give a wild cat that decided to eat out of your own cats bowl. Would it freak out, would it not? Did it have rabies? Better get your shots. Okay, not helping either. We moved out of the second gate towards the snow covered hills, up the path passed more soldiers. Some of whom broken and ran at the sight of yet another pulse from the breach. I did not need to see the breach to know when it would pulse again however, it seemed. As we moved there was always the constant low throbbing in my hand, like the beating of a heart. Perhaps my heart? I did not know. 

But the throbbing would hum low and long building up slowly until finally the breach about halfway up the trail, the breach built to a crescendo before pulsing again. My knees buckled, and I clutched my hand to my chest weakly. The truth was, that the small thrum in my hand ceased to remain in my hand when the breach pulsed, and my body did not appreciate this.

“The pulses?” I muttered quietly as Cassandra helped me back to my feet.

“They are coming faster now.” I nodded at this and we moved on, passing flaming debris as we moved towards a bridge. We moved over the stone surface quickly making it to the middle of the bridge before Cassandra finally said “The larger the breach grows, the more rifts appear. The more rifts appear. The more demons we face.”

Wait. Demons? The closer we came to the breach, the more often we saw green breach debris falling like small commits. We had to be careful to watch them, and see where they might land. 

“Then, how did I survive the blast?” I asked stopping, I had more than a few questions that needed to be answered.

“They said you…” Cassandra stopped as well, turning back towards me. “They said you stepped out of a rift. They also say, they saw a woman behind you. No one knows who she was.”

I jumped back at the last second as I spotted breach debris head our way, pulling Cassandra with me. The bridge we were on shook, and to my horror gave way beneath us. The next few moments were a blur of flailing limbs and confusion as I slid to the ground from my former perch. The bridge itself wasn’t to far from the frozen river beneath it, and I thanked my lucky stars that it was frozen, and frozen solid. I don’t think either I or Cassandra could have pulled ourselves out of it had that not been the case.

Speaking of Cassandra, she at least was also in one piece thankfully. 

“Thankyou.” She said gruffly, getting to her feet as I did the same. I ached all over, but I was alive and without any major breaks at least. Another ball of debris slammed into the frozen river, making the ice shake and groan ominously. The crater it left pulsed green for a moment before a strange black mass emerged, stretching into a hunched over black cloaked figure. It gave a low hiss before chortling at us, and Cassandra pushed me back. I stumbled and landed on my rear, as she charged cutting across its front. It lurched back away from her, around the crater towards a mass of trees and she pursued. 

But the writhing mass of black smoke was not alone, and soon another rose from the ice in front of me. I scrambled back, hands sliding on the frigid surface beneath me slipping and sliding. My hand anchored on a dry wooden surface, and I gripped it. Yes! A stick I could use a stick! I swung it around in front of me lashing out at the thing, only to realize that it was not a stick at all; but some form of staff or pole arm. One end was capped with simple metal, the other had some form of mace on it.

And I had thankfully swung it mace side first, but it failed to connect with the thing that was attacking me as the creature simply swiveled out of the way. Gripping the staff in both hands, I used the capped end to push myself upright. The creature lunged at me again and I swung the staff at it missing once more, but instead of connecting the staff spat a slew of sparks at the creature forcing it back. 

I swung the staff again, and again it spat sparks. On a hunch I swung the staff in a more experimental arc, as if flinging something from the end of it. A bolt of electricity zapped the thing and it shrieked at me. I stumbled and slid to the side as it lunged, and I waved the staff again hitting it. The creature swung around charging at me again, raising one large black clawed hand and I slipped as I tried to dodge. It missed but I dropped the staff to catch myself and it clattered away, the thing shrieked in victory raising another dark clawed arm making to strike.

I moved my arm as if to shove it away, and then the creature was suddenly on fire. I didn’t stop to ponder why, instead using the chance to skitter away and grab the staff again as it thrashed around in pain. I stood, gripped the staff in my tingling sore hands and swung at it with all my might. This time the spiked end connected, knocking the thing over and I followed this with a series of downward swings to ensure it wouldn't get back up. 

The cold air stung my throat as I panted out of breath, the creature only faded into the darkness of the ice beneath it, as if it were simply a cloud of darkness dispersed by light. Footsteps caught my attention, and I used the staff to help me turn on the ice without slipping. Cassandra it seemed had been victorious, as she was none the worse for wear. She stilled carried her sword however, and at the sight of my own weapon she raised hers.

“Drop your weapon. Now!” 

“Alright.” I dropped the staff as if it were on fire, waving my hands in front of myself. “Kinda need that, but I wont press my luck.”

She let out a heavy sigh before sheathing her own weapon.

“You’re probably right.” She said shaking her head. “Even I cannot protect you now, and I cannot expect you to be defenceless. I should remember you agreed to come willingly.”

I bent to pick up the staff again, hissing a bit as I touched the rough wood. The skin on my hands was tender to the touch, and as I stood up I leaned the staff in the crook of my arm to look at them. Both looked red and burnt, and I grimace as they throbbed a bit- the one with the mark a bit more then that other.

“Let me see.” Cassandra said, grasping my wrists. “Just a minor burn, here. Take these potions, Maker knows what we will face. One should be enough for your burn, but if we get separated it will be for the best that you have your own.”

She released my hand in favor of handing me eight small red vials of liquid, and I for a moment struggled to find a place to put them before remembering a pocket that was sewn into the side of my coat. It was the same deep red as blood, but somehow it seem to glow from within, and I questioned the wisdom of drinking something that was apparently radioactive.

Seven of them slid into the depths of said pocket, the last I looked at before Cassandra prompted me to drink it. I was expecting perhaps, that the potion would dull the throbbing in my hand, like some sort of crude aspirin. I was not expecting the sudden flurry and tingly that filled my hands, or that burns would faded to nothing, pale skin replacing what had once been rough and calloused. I questioned for a moment, what the ever loving crap had just happened before Cassandra prompted me to move on. 

From there we made our way along the banks of the frozen river towards yet another bridge, fighting a few demons as Cassie called them Cassie- what I was calling her in my head, not in real life or I would get stabbed I am sure.

The potions she’d given me acted like shots of liquid adrenalin, refreshing me and healing any scratches I picked up in the scuffles we had with said demons. We finally came to a stairway up to the next bridge and I was both thankful for the path that would make our way easier, and leery of the fact that we had to cross another bridge after the fun we had at the first one.

We summited the top of the stairway to the resounding roars of yet more demons, and my mind sarcastically remarked that maybe this was not the best place for people to build their summer home. Somehow in the space of our climb the bridge had been damaged, and I grimaced at it briefly before realizing the roars were coming from the other side. Cassandra raced towards the side, and I fought to keep up with her as I pulled my staff free; we leapt off the side to help two people who were badly outnumbered.

The only impression I got during our short fight, as I swung my staff joining one of them in their attack on one particular demon was of a bald man and a short one. The bald one was swinging a staff not unlike my own, and together we cut through the demon before joining the others in defeating the next two. The last one shrieked at us in challenge, and I made to attack but was interrupted by the bald man, who grabbed me by the hand without prompting, dragging me towards something I hadn’t seen while I’d been fighting. It seemed to be a smaller version of the breach, and it made me a little queezy as I stumbled after the man.

“Quickly, before more come through!” Said the bald man grabbing my wrist he pulled me towards the rift, shoving my hand into it depths of the black green mass- for a moment I fought valiantly not to be sick. 

I felt vaguely as though I was hold a storm in place, as light and feeling faded and the world started to tip and sway, like a bad case of vertigo. The mark and the rift for a moment fought for dominance before fading away as if it had never been, but there was an underlying sense of thinness like a piece of paper taped over. Fixed but still fragile, and susceptible to further tearing. Seeping into the mark on my hand, it felt hungry. That was not a comforting thought, it was inanimate- magical I guess, but inanimate. It couldn't feel anything. That was wall my imagination.

The breach disappeared, and my knees wavered again, my world dipped and swirled for a moment, like a drunken dancer before my balance decided to come back and I found myself leaning against the man for and I gave a nervous little cough before stepping away. I blushed, but pretended to brush things off of my shirt as I moved closer to Cassandra who had, in the space of our adventure helped the short man defeat the last demon. The smaller breach had simply ceased to be, but I couldn't for the life of me conclude how or why.

Well, I mean clearly it had been my hand. But saying ‘My hand’ was a bit vague. I looked at my palm again as if it could answer all my questions.

“What did you do?” I asked finally looking up at the bald man, he was in turn looking at me strangely and I couldn't decipher what said look meant. 

“I did nothing. The credit is yours.” he said simply gesturing at my hand. Something in his dismissal, in the air of his simple dismissal of personal contribution was not normal. To humble. It bugged me, I didn’t like it. Like a nagging voice in the back of my head. Ugh, I hated having this feeling. I was- for the most part good at reading people.

“You mean my mark is actually good for something.” I said finally brushing it across my armor again almost trying to mentally wipe it away. It gave me the willies. This whole thing gave me the willies. I needed to get this over with and find my way back to sanity- and hopefully a decent cup of coffee.

“Yes it would seem so.” he said with a nod before adding helpfully, “Whatever magic opened the breach in the sky also placed that mark upon you hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts opened in the breaches wake- And it seems I was correct.”

“You theorized.” I said with a raised eyebrow. I had this ability to move my eyebrows separately, it was the best thing- more on that later. 

“This also means your mark could close the breach itself.” Cassandra commented.

“Possibly.” The man said with a shrug. “It would seem that you hold the key to our salvation.”

“Good to know! And here I was thinking we would be ass deep in demons forever.” Came a voice from behind me, and I turned to see it was the shorter man. “Varric Tethras: Rogue, storyteller and occasional unwelcome tagalong. ”

He sent a wink at Cassandra, and she gave only a roll of her eyes in return. 

“Are you with the Cassandra or..” I trailed off uncertainly.

A chuckle caught my attention and I looked at the bald man.

“Was that a serious question?” The bald man asked and for the first time I noticed the strange pointed ears that he sported, rather a large oversight on my part. But I digress, if Varric hadn’t interrupted my thoughts I may well have been staring at the man for an uncomfortable period of time. 

“Technically I’m a prisoner, just like you.” Varric said smiling before saying. “You look like a kitten in boots. Are you sure you should be out on your own?” 

If looks could kill, this Varric Tethras fella would be dead. 

“I brought you here to tell your story to the Divine,” Cassandra commented “Clearly that is no longer necessary.”

“Yet, here I am. Lucky for you considering current events.”

“Its debatably good to meet you Varric.” I said with a roll of my eyes and a smile.

“You may reconsidered that stance, in time.” The bald man said, with slight humor. 

“Aww, I’m sure we’ll become great friends in the valley, Chuckles.” Varric quipped back, and I couldn't help but wonder how long these two had been fighting together. 

“Absolutely not.” Cassandra uttered “Your help is appreciated Varric, but-”

“Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker.” This last word he said as if it were a title. “You’re soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me.”

Cassandra only made a noise of annoyance in the back of her throat before walking away, down the trail. 

“My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions.” the bald man- now Solas voiced “I am pleased to see you still live.”

“He means, ‘I kept that mark from killing you while you slept.’” Varric added helpfully. 

“You know about this?” I questioned quietly waving my affected hand back and forth. Mentally of course I kicked myself, who didn’t know about the green elephant on my hand- er if that made sense at all.

“Solas is an apostate like yourself, well-versed in such matters.” Came Cassandra’s voice from ahead of us, and we began to walk. 

“Technically all mages are now apostates, Cassandra.” Solas pointed out, “My travels have allowed me to learn much of the Fade, far beyond the the experience of any circle Mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give with the breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed, regardless of origin.”

I had no idea what this ‘Circle’ was, and even less about apostates- besides the general assumption was that they were bad and that I was one of them. As now Solas was as well. At least I wasn’t alone in that. 

“That’s admirable,” I finally commented before adding “If I can close the breach, I will.”

Solas nodded at this before moving to walk closer to Cassandra.

“Cassandra, you should know: The magic that is involved here is unlike any I have seen. Your prisoner is a mage. But I find it difficult to imagine any mage having such power.”

“Understood.” She said quickening her pace. “We must get to the forward camp quickly.”

I walked next to Varric as we made our way down the embankment toward the riverbed again, and I couldn't help but add to him as we moved.

“And clearly I am not out on my own.” I quipped mischievously, Varric only chuckled at this and I finally came to the conclusion that the knowledge I was about to impart was not going to hurt anyone. “Persephone.”

“What?” Varric asked looking at me.

“My name.” I said simply, catching the attention of both Cassandra and Solas. “Is Persephone, Pers to my friends.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Edit 4/20/15 Typo's grammar and the rephrasing of some things.


	3. Remedy and Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Three, I dont really have a beta. So any feedback on how this chapter turned out would be great; as always, thankyou for reading.

Chapter Two: Remedy and Recovery 

 

“So… Are you innocent?” Varric asked as we moved to cross the frozen river for the Nth time. We had a pretty steady tactic of zig zagging across the icy surface to get to the clearer side bank, and it was at this moment I stopped to think about it. To answer that question honestly, I would first have to know what happened and I didn’t. I didn't even remember how I’d gotten to this place to begin with. 

“I don’t remember what happened.” I settled on trudging to catch up. 

“That’ll get you every time.” He commented as he walked around a particularly large boulder. “Should have spun a story.”

“Thats what you would have done.” Cassandra shot back at him slowing enough to walk besides us. “Please stop giving her ideas.”

“Its more believable, and less prone to result in premature death. Why should I? I don’t think Mousy deserves to go to the chopping block, do you?” 

“That is not for me to decide.” She said simply, and I felt it was a good time to walk next to someone else. I quickened my pace to match Solas, which put us in the front. Not a sound tactical decision but one that wouldn't matter in the long run as demons often jumped out where they were least expected. What were they, the Spanish inquisition?

“You are Dalish.” He questioned after a moment and I paused and I pondered this phrase- these people might as well be speaking a foreign language from time to time, Chantry, Divine, Dalish… Was that a title or a racial moniker? I had no idea. I mean, after careful observation I can damn well tell you that Solas wasn’t human. Those ears were no more glued on then Varric was walking on his knees to pretend to be a small person. 

It was also a little weird that Solas’s toes were exposed to the elements like that- he wore some sort of strange half boot. I am guessing that whatever Dalish was, I looked like it. I must have. I don't think he would have assumed otherwise.

“Yes?” I said stumbling a bit as I slipped on the ice. This in turn made me to look down, and that. That was both a very good and very bad thing. Because my reflection made me pause. The face was mine, that was to be sure but it was strange. Like the proportions of it had changed a bit- not by much but it was still like looking at a stranger. In truth it took me a second to recognize the features as my own. More so than this where the oddly protruding ears. Oddly protruding I say because I was suppose to be human. I looked up at Solas, and he was staring at me. As were the other two, as I had stopped mid stride at the sight of my reflection.

“Is there something amiss?” Solas asked in a puzzled manner.

“Nope.” I said voice squeaking. Totally believable.

My companions only shared a look as we started walking again, but I scarcely noticed as I was too caught up in the inner denial I was going through. I hadn’t noticed it. I really hadn’t noticed this at first. I remembered earlier, the moment when I pushed my hair back. I’d touched my ears, touched the tips of them and had dismissed it because I was preoccupied. They had been overly sensitive then- and I’d been mentally gripping a bit about getting ear muffs because they were so cold. 

I tried to shake the thoughts of this from my head, but then I began to noticed other things. Like my long tapered fingers. I hadn’t had long tapered fingers. I’d had stubby little digits good for all manner of things. Small hands and small clever fingers to get into things I wasn’t suppose to as a child. Even my life lines were different. 

“So, you are Dalish.” Solas said once more, and I nodded. “And clearly away from the rest of your clan. Did they send you here?”

“What do you know of the Dalish?” I said softly, I should have denied it. I said yes only because I thought it wasn’t some sort of exclusive club, I was apparently wrong. I sensed that I was going to have to be more evasive in the near future.

“I’ve wandered many roads in my time, crossed paths with your people on more than one occasion.” 

“We are both of the same people Solas.” I said tried weakly, we both had pointy ears right? 

“The Dalish I met, felt differently.”

“Can't you elves just play nice for once?” Varric muttered before I could ask further, and I chose to just let it go. This entire conversation had been a mess, I had only meant to blend in. But instead I’d upset someone. I could feel my ears drooping a bit. That was weird. Now that I was paying attention… I noticed that I could easily hear things that were further away. My nose picked up scents that I couldn't easily identify, and I felt a sneeze building as I caught the scent of something musky. 

We trudge along, occasionally encountering more demons and cutting them down until we approached the second rift- I had been correct in assuming that was what they were called oddly. I didn’t even really notice the gate behind it as we fought our way towards the sickly green mass. And then like the first time I reached up into the swirling mass, and the mark reacted. It consumed the stuff of the rift, as if it were a concentration of something pulling it into itself. Where it went was beyond me, but the rift closed and once more I was given the impression of something sealed but not entirely fixed.

I ran a finger over the mark slightly, and felt nothing from it. I dropped my hand, and put the staff back in place. I’d been carrying it propped on my shoulder until Solas managed to pull a sling for it from the remains of a smoking cabin. The great wooden doors before us opened at Cassandra’s hailing.

“Well,” Varric said catching my attention as we moved through the gate. “Whatever that thing on your hand is, at least its useful.”

We moved passed a man in full plate armor, with the helmet shaped like a lions head and I spared him a glance before moving on. Solas placed a hand on my shoulder, and gave me a nod.

“Well done.” 

“Thank you.” I said with a shrug as we walked passed soldiers, and towards a table, a man and the woman- Leliana from before. 

“Ah!” said the strangely dressed man as we came close “Here they are.”

“You made it!” Leliana said turning to the man, “This is-”

“I know who she is.” He said with a scowl, and I took a hesitant step back into Solas. I gave him an apologetic look, before turning my attention back to the group. Only to realize I’d missed something. 

“Order me”? You are a glorified clerk. A bureaucrat!” She said disgust flavoring her voice clearly. 

“And you are a thug! But a thug who supposedly serves the chantry.” I was torn between ‘That escalated quickly.’ and ‘fight, fight, fight!’ but I settled for simply rubbing the bridge of my nose. Could some the parents of these two children come collect them? I wasn’t in any place to stop them from fighting, even if their fight was delaying our pace. 

“We serve the most Holy.” Leliana interrupted, “As you well know.”

“Justinia is dead.” He said throwing his hands up, somewhat hysterically. “We must elect a replacement, and obey her orders on the matter!”

Okay, I had to say something.

“I am standing right here.” I said regretting it instantly, maybe shouldn't have said that something? Go me, I’m the best- putting my foot in my mouth from day one. If anyone asks I did it first.

“YOU shouldn’t even be here!” He all but shouted, and I stepped behind Cassandra at this, earning a few looks. I wasn’t here to be yelled at. “Call a retreat, Seeker, Our position here is hopeless.”

“We can still try to stop the breach before its too late.” she said simply.

“How? You won't survive long enough to reach it. Even with all of your soldiers.”

“We must go to the temple, it is the quickest way.” Cassandra said, looking to Leliana.

“But not the safest. Our forces can charge as a distraction, while we go through the mountains.” She said with a knowing smile.

“We lost contact with an entire squad on that path. Its too risky.”

The two women shared a look, before the Chancellor butted in. 

“Abandoned this now, before more lives are lost.” Was said, but the later half of this was drowned out but the sound of the Breach pulsing in the distance. I let out a muffled shriek as the pain coursed through me, and I found myself unable to stand on my own for a few moments after this as pulse seemed to hum through my body. The closer I got, it seemed the more powerful the pulses felt. Or maybe it was just the breach preparing to do something drastic, either way I owed Solas a thank you- which was given promptly and a drink later. 

He was once more supporting me, and I gave him grateful smile as I struggled to stand. I brush myself off nervously as everybody seemed to look at me, and finally Cassandra seemed to make a choice.

“How do you think we should proceed?” She asked, and I gave her a look that may have been a mix between ‘The hell are you smoking.’ and ‘me? You’re talking to me?’

“You’re asking me?” I said in a bit of a squeak, I am not in the position to be making the best choices here. Really I am not.

“You have the mark.” Solas said unhelpfully from behind me, and I mentally nixed the thought of buying him a drink or something afterwards. You sir, are not helping. You don’t ask me to make decisions, I don’t make decisions. I waffle and procrastinate before one of said decisions makes up themselves or disappears. Why is everybody looking at me like this, this wasn’t in the contract. There was no contract, it was a verbal agreement and at this point I was proclaiming it null and void. 

“You are the one we must keep alive. Since we cannot agree on our own…” Cassandra trailed off with an unhappy look at the redhaired woman and I got this sudden sinking sensation. Ugh decisions. The whole lot of them looked at me, and boy did I ever feel out on the spot. I sighed before seriously considering the options. 

It seemed like a no duh move to me, frontal assaults were nice if you had a lot of soldiers. But they were stupid and deadly when you didn’t- so the mountain path was really the only smart choice to make.

“We should use the mountain path.” I said finally, “It wouldn’t make sense to throw soldiers at a force we have no idea of. Better to be more cautious and come at them from a position they aren’t expecting.”

Cassandra and Leliana both gave me a considering look before nodding in agreement.

“Leliana, bring everyone left in the valley. Everyone.” Cassandra said before walking away from the group, towards the doors on the far end of the bridge. I followed after getting a particularly nasty look from the Chancellor. Talk about a close shave man. 

 

_________________________________________________________________

The mountain path I should mention, was less of a path and more of a collection of tall ladders that made me question if the Seeker didn’t just oppose the path because a squad had disappeared on it. Whoever was the DM to design this one needed to take a break, these heights were killing me. Fear of heights hadn’t really played into my game plan, but I managed to work around it by ignoring the sprawling vistas and just climbing the damn ladders.

How people managed to find this path was beyond me, for after the ladders and the walkways the path straight into a cliff face. The darkness beyond made me uneasy, and with no small amount of hesitation I stepped into the darkness. I didn’t need to wait long for my ill feelings were justified, as we were instantly set upon by demons. 

The darkness at first concealed their presence, but thankfully Cassandra was already on guard. Solas lit up the darkness with the flick of a hand, sending a fireball towards the first demon to appear out of the darkness, illuminating the others that hid in the darkness. Not that some of them could remain hidden in the darkness, for the glowing green forms gave them away. The enclosed space of the tunnel was good for keeping off the wind, and out of the lightly falling snow, I was glad to see the end of it as we left it behind us two fights later. 

I would have to ask Solas to help me with the fire thing in the future, as the second time I’d used the technique I again burnt my hands. This time unfortunately I couldn’t take a potion to stave off the hurt, I would have to conserve as many as I could. We came upon what was left of the scouting party not too long after, and another rift. The feeling of falling, of being pulled by the rift was ever present but it closed all the same. I didn’t know if I could ever get use to it, I didn't know if I wanted too. 

We also encountered what remained of the scouting party that had been sent up this way before, thankfully whole in most respects. Cassandra sent them back the way we’d come, and I couldn't agree more to this as they looked as though they’d each lost at least twenty years along the way. We reached the Temple of Sacred ashes without any trouble not long after, meeting the bulk of the soldiers that had come up the main trail at what looked to be, at one point at least the entrance to a building.

The broken stone walls of the temple sat beneath the ever growing Breach, like a sad testament to the hungry nature of the breach itself. I say hungry and many might think of it as a thing eating away at the world when in truth it was much more than that. It was hungry for purpose, hungry for use, all that power and nothing could command it- would command it. It was meant to move, to change and warp as desired. But there was no will strong enough, no mind knowing enough to use it.

Too much of a good thing was often a poison, to any creature. Too much water could kill a person, just as easily as too little could. It was only by imbibing specific amounts that we lived with it day to day- in fact we could not live without it. So what then could I say of the void above us, this vast green black maw that spat out demons and demanded something from me. What I could not say- not in entirety, but I was starting to suspect I would not like what it had to say.

“Come now, we will be closest if we go into the temple itself.” Cassandra said as the Lion helmeted man and Leliana conferred about something, but for a moment I hesitated. This caught Varric’s attention.

“Little apprehensive there Mousy?” He said and gave the man a look. Mousy? I dismissed it for the moment, interesting but irrelevant.

 

“Hey, your not the one play virgin sacrifice here.” I said testily, and Varric let out a small laugh.

“Im sure someone would gladly fix your virgin status for you if that's your what concerned about.” the dwarf said teasingly, our companions both shifted uneasily at this, I only rolled my eyes. “I know this fella at the Blooming Rose who would be right up your alley, if thats your thing.”

“Nice of you to focus on the less important aspect of this conversation.” I said moving to walk next to Cassandra, instantly regretting it as I caught sight of the innards of the temple itself.

“Well, shit.” Was all Varric had to say after catching sight of what made both I and the Seeker to pause. The innards of the temple itself looked much like any bombing sight, twisted burnt stone like a great blast had pushed away all but that which was at the very center of the temple. A long twisted ledge sat at the edge that eventually led to a place from which we could jump into the crater that was all that remained. 

I took another hesitant step back, and once more I felt my back bump into a familiar form behind me. I looked at Solas, and he looked at me and for a brief moment I sensed an understanding. He placed a hand on my shoulder, giving me an encouraging squeeze and I moved forward again, around the sickly red glowing rock that also seemed to be a part of the temple now. 

“Makers breath,” I heard Varric say behind me, “Don’t touch this stuff Mouse- hell don’t any of you touch this stuff. Its worse than poison.”

I gave it another glance distancing myself from it as I walked, it seemed to give off a terrible hum that put my teeth on edge and which I did my best to ignore. Dropping down onto the ground near the center proved to be some sort of trigger, as voices echoed through the temple. The Divines voice, if Cassandra could be believed and even my own thought I held no recollection of how or why I would have been their to speak to anyone.

I routed around for the best spot to stand, guessing but not being entirely certain and Solas remained standing near me. For some reason I felt compelled to find the right spot, I needed to do so otherwise my attempt would be for nothing. Finally ready I gave Cassandra a nod, letting her know I was ready looked to Solas and lifted my hand towards the sky.

The world around me seemed to shift and falter in on itself as the breach reacted, the great hungry void demanding purpose- demanding to be used. It was not meant to be like this, it was not meant to twist in on itself and pervert the world around it as it had. It demanded that I right it, demanded that I use it to right itself, and yet in the very same moment it spat out a horde of demons.

A great ugly maw rose from the dust, a many eyed monster that roared its defiance at us all. And then for a moment the world calmed around me as it spoke.

“You cannot stop this thing from happening mage, not on your own. His power is too great. But I can offer you a better deal, join with me and I can give you all the power you require. You can close this rift, and become a god among men. A ruler supreme. You know not how to wield this weapon, all you have to do is let me in.” Perhaps this tactic worked well with others, but never with me. I dunno about other people- and I am not sure this is specific to me, but if someone offers me anything that seems too good to be true, chance are that it is. 

And I was not going to be taken for a fool, I am a creature of grief, dust, and bitter longing. And this longing could not be fixed with lies and sweet nothings; I would not allow my own choices to cost others, not if I could help it. 

I think the thing realize my answer even before I said anything as it roared in fury before I could open my mouth. Those around me leapt into action attacking it as I did my best to assist them. Using my staff to fend off the smaller demons that swarmed the soldiers around me, I used the fire attack more than once but never without pain, I bucked up and used my potions ignoring all else save for the fighting. 

My back pressed against something- no someone behind me and I had the presence of mind to realize that Solas and I were literally fighting back to back. Cassandra broke the line of demons with a war cry, and I and Solas swept about attacking and assisting those we could. Solas somewhat more than me for obvious reasons, but it was the thought that counts. The largest demon gave a guttural cry as it fell finally, before disappearing into the fading light, and once more I am the center of attention.

Some soldiers were injured, but thankfully none were dead despite the rampaging beast that flailed about like a tantrum throwing child, and I was once more before the breach. Solas came to stand next to me once more, and then I lifted my hand once more.

 

___________________________________________________________

The world around me dipped and swayed, and faded out of mind. The beat of my heart, and the sigh of my breath as I let the mark free to do its work. But where the rifts were a whisper, a muttering which I could easily speak over, the breach was a scream. The magic- for that is all I could think of it as fought me, hated me even as I tried to give it what it wanted. Place, purpose, it was mindless potential- or it was meant to be. Power has no purpose, it is only a weapon to be used. 

And while I might hold a small thought of control in my hand, I was not strong enough to fight those screams. I was just another voice in the din, I was failing. I knew I was failing; I was falling, fading, there was not enough of me to fight those which would be free. Then I felt it, a small warmth traveling from my shoulder to my hand, power flowing through it like a conduit as this beings power joined my own. 

It in and of itself was not great, was not strong- although I had the sense it once might have been. But now it was like me, and while I had strength and youth; I lacked the presence of mind, the authority to will this magic to do as I bid. This one however, had no such compunction. I was afraid, I was alone in a strange place I did not understand, and I wielded a power I didn’t understand; alone I reflected that, as my insecurities fought for dominance. But I would not forsake another.

Our magic bled together, and I felt a heat rise in me as this wild rush filled me. It was free, unkempt, un-coddled and without tether. With it came the sense, and the realization that this thing, this breach could not beat me. Like a caged beast I roared, in spirit at least unleashing my anger, fear and loath, let these creatures know the mortal pain and suffering I knew. Let them try to live with this. They were called demons, and they were the ills and anguishes of man, but they could never know the truth of the emotion that claimed to represent, because they were mere echoes of the world as a whole.

You will not choke the divine from me. I am my own god and martyr.


End file.
